Ensuring health and well-being: a self-assessment tool for health and well-being boards

APSE, in association with De Montfort University as part of the KTP programme, has produced a self-assessment toolkit to help health and well-being boards navigate their way through complex issues and find solutions that suit local circumstances. Following the transfer of responsibilities for public health under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, boards now face important strategic decisions. The toolkit has been designed to help them.

This new e-publication, ‘Ensuring health and well-being: a self-assessment tool for health and well-being boards’, sets out questions that will help them consider the efficiency and effectiveness of partnerships and assess the different types of resources available to those involved.

Having established initial structures and processes following the transfer of responsibilities for public health under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The toolkit has been designed to help them examine organisational cultures and processes and develop appropriate communications, monitoring and scrutiny arrangements that will take them into the next stage of their work, as well as considering resources.

The toolkit sets out questions that will help them consider the efficiency and effectiveness of partnerships and assess the different types of resources available to those involved – including powers, social capital, skills and assets as well as funding. It draws upon research carried out in Northamptonshire County Council, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and City of York Council.

The toolkit explores how the new boards can maintain momentum, find consensus between partners, who may have different organisational goals and focus on holistic outcomes. This toolkit has been developed to help tackle some of the tough questions involved head-on.

The toolkit does not offer standard answers as circumstances, needs, priorities and resources will vary greatly from place to place; however the toolkit will assist the new boards think about what success might look like in terms of reducing risks to health and well-being and encouraging people to make healthier choices. It will be of particular interest to local authorities developing their own strategies to health and well-being through engagement with the health and well-being boards.

The toolkit was produced as part of APSE's research partnership with De Montfort University, which has developed the 'ensuring council' as a positive vision for local government in the next decade and beyond. The ensuring ethos recognises the responsibility of local authorities to act as stewards of their local communities, collaborate with partners and link strategy with delivery of services on the ground. The toolkit applies these principles to health and well-being goals.

Promoting excellence in public services

APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) is a not for profit unincorporated association working with over 300 councils throughout the UK. Promoting excellence in public services, APSE is the foremost specialist in local authority frontline services, hosting a network for frontline service providers in areas such as waste and refuse collection, parks and environmental services, cemeteries and crematorium, environmental health, leisure, school meals, cleaning, housing and building maintenance.